DHL starts same-day service to Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR (JP): International air express company DHL Worldwide Express has opened a new service aimed at facilitating growing business ties between the Malaysian capital and Jakarta.
Under its Same Day Service launched in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday and in Jakarta on Wednesday, documents collected in the Indonesian capital will receive same-day delivery to the Kuala Lumpur.
Mike Fitzpatrick, senior technical advisor at DHL's Indonesian affiliate PT Birotika Semesta/DHL, said the service reflected the company's strong commitment to acting as a trade facilitator in both good and bad times.
"DHL Same Day Service is being introduced in response to the changing trade flows and shipping practices as Indonesian and Malaysian businesspeople seek more direct, fast and cost- effective ways to deliver documents amid the current competitive business environment," he told The Jakarta Post after the launching of the service in Kuala Lumpur.
"It's one of DHL's effort to support business between Indonesia and its major trade partners at a time when the country is in a difficult situation."
Marketing manager for Indonesia Soraya Rudianti said the new service includes express pickup, streamlined customs clearance and secure delivery.
Documents sent by DHL at 11:30 a.m will arrive in Kuala Lumpur before 9:30 p.m the same day, she said.
Malaysia national gateway manager Gerard Sta Maria said DHL Malaysia was preparing to institute the same-day service from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta.
"All facilities in Kuala Lumpur will be completed by the end of this month. We moved to a bigger office last month, and we are improving our facilities so we can follow DHL Indonesia to launch the same-day service from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta."
Fitzpatrick said the firm launched its Same Day Service from Jakarta to Singapore in May because the latter was one of the largest destinations for Indonesian exports in Asia.
The company is considering further expansion of the service to other Asian countries.
Fitzpatrick said Bangkok would be next on the agenda because Thailand is one of the Indonesia's major partner.
"The same-day service is really introduced to major countries which deal with Indonesia, especially Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. So, Bangkok is our next target this year.
"We are also looking to further extend the service to other Asian countries. We have already provided overnight service to Hong Kong, Tokyo and Osaka, and maybe in the future we can provide the same day service to those destinations."
When launching the service in Jakarta Wednesday, Fitzpatrick said the company would invest about US$3 million in the next two years to upgrade its existing facilities.
"We will improve our supporting facilities at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and open up new offices and improve our technology."
Fitzpatrick said the impact of the economic crisis on DHL's business in Indonesia was relatively small.
Earlier this year, DHL introduced the "USA First" service for exporters to the United States. Since its introduction, DHL has seen an increase of nearly 40 percent in exports in the sector.
Fitzpatrick admitted the company also recorded a decline of 15 percent in the volume of document delivery and attributed it to the fact many companies in Indonesia had closed down.
"But we are an international company. And as most of our revenue in Indonesia came from exports, the crisis has only had a little impact on us," he said.
"We will continuously improve our services and always look for innovation. We are the first air express company which offers the same-day service."
Birotika Semesta/DHL, which started operating in Indonesia in 1979, currently leads the domestic courier industry with a network of 65 branch offices. It employs more than 800 people and has 250 vehicles at its disposal. (gis/aly)